The Lincoln Avenue road diet experiment has picked up the formal support of a neighborhood association, whose members say narrowing the street from four travel lanes to two was “an innovative, forward-thinking concept” that has made the road safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.

Although the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association was asked months ago to weigh in on the debate, it didn”t do so until after the Willow Glen Business Association took a position against making Lincoln a permanent three-lane road, with one lane in each direction and a middle one for making turns. The business association voted 10-4 on June 23 to oppose the road diet, in part because it has hurt sales.

“We are simply completing our end of the process so the city of San Jose has the information that they had originally requested of us prior to the start of the trial,” neighborhood association president Chris Roth said when asked by this newspaper why the group waited until after the business association vote.

“Our neighborhood association has supported traffic calming efforts for over four decades, and we are pleased with the improvements to the Lincoln Avenue experience that this trial has provided,” states a letter the neighborhood association wrote to the San Jose Department of Transportation on July 13.

“As you may also be aware, the demographics of Willow Glen are changing, with more and more young families moving into the area, and this road diet trial is a clear step forward for the safety of our families, our seniors and our children,” the letters adds.

The neighborhood association”s board asked city officials to consider making the road diet permanent.

When a 90-day Lincoln Avenue trial was first presented to the public in February, city transportation officials indicated they wouldn”t recommend keeping a two-lane configuration unless there”s uniform support for it.

Jim Ortbal, interim director of the transportation department, confirmed that was still the case when the business association met last month before voting.

“Formal opposition from either [the business association or the neighborhood association] would create a situation where I wouldn”t bring a recommendation to mayor and council,” Ortbal said. “We didn”t want to bring something to council that had opposition from either group.”

Despite the business group”s stance, support for a narrower Lincoln Avenue had come by way of a petition and District 6 Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio, who spearheaded the road diet experiment and has been gauging public sentiment.

“I”m still doing door to door because I feel you don”t always hear from everybody,” he said. “Ever since the business association voted no, more people have spoken up. We had a large uptick of people who said, ”No, we really like it.” “

Oliverio said some business owners have also told him they favor keeping the two lanes.

Michael Mulcahy, owner of multiple properties on Lincoln, wrote in an email that he is “hopeful the test continues after more improvements are made to circulate customers, protect pedestrians and buffer neighborhoods.”

According to Mulcahy, “the district is busier than ever, new tenant interest is at an all-time high and upgrades to the new configuration will help alleviate pre-road diet issues.”

A petition to make the two travel lanes and dedicated bicycle lanes permanent has been signed by more than 740 people.

In its blog post urging members to sign the petition, the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition notes, “Though the opposition is loud and seems large, it”s important to remember that most public projects only hear from the detractors.”

Frank Murphy, who identifies himself as a San Jose resident, writes in the petition”s comments that he likes “the slower, calmer Lincoln Avenue” and is “willing to put up with the minor traffic inconveniences in trade for a safer bicycle and pedestrian downtown.”

Meanwhile, 360 people have signed a petition first circulated in the spring that seeks to have the four travel lanes restored.

San Jose resident Dione Uht echoed some of the concern heard from business owners at the association”s June meeting who say sales transactions are down on the Avenue because of the road diet.

“The road diet has kept me and my family from going to Lincoln for dinner or errands,” she wrote on the petition. “Too much traffic on neighboring side streets…”

“I refuse to shop along Lincoln Avenue because driving it is a nightmare,” wrote Kat Hanes.

Even though the road diet was heralded as a 90-day experiment, current lane striping on Lincoln Avenue likely will remain until already scheduled pavement maintenance is completed this fall. Regardless of either association”s stance, the road diet still could end up before the San Jose City Council for a vote.